Watchcase bezel



June 5, 1928. 1,672,183

A; w. WADSWORTH WATCHCASE BEZE;

filed June 1, 1926 I N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 5, 1928.

; UNITED STATES ARTHUR W..WADSWORTH, OF FORT THOMAS,

PATENT OFFICE.

KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WADS- WORTH WATCH CASE COMPANY, OF DAYTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORATION OF KEN TUCKY.

WATCHCASE BEZEL.

Application filed June 1,

This invention relates to watch case bezels, and moreparticularly to bezels made in two pieces-and designed to receive and securely hold slightly varying sizes of watch case crystals.

' The objects of my invention are to provide a watch case bezel which will reduce to a minimum the danger of crystal breakage when the parts composing the watch are being assembled; to provide a bezel of such construction as to minimize breakage of the crystal" while in use; to afford the greatest ease in assembling the parts of the watch case, thereby eliminating the necessity of 5 having extreme exactness in the crystal sizes and shapes for a given size of watch case; to provide a bezel that will eliminate the necessity of crystal cement now employed for the purpose of preventing foreign matter, such as dirt, from entering the case and getting into the movement, and to overcome the possibility of the watch crystal from dropping out of the case after the parts thereof are assembled. I

My invention consists in a watch case provided with an outer or main bezel having an opening therein surrounded by a wall beveled inwardly or undercut to receive from the inner side a beveled crystal whereby said bevels bearagainst each other and securely hold the crystal from passing through said openingand dropping out, instead of snapping therein from the outer side, as is now the usual practice, and provided with an inner or auxiliary yielding bezel partly spaced apart from said main or outer bezel and adapted to telescope with in said outer bezel with a friction fit between the skirts of the two bezels and having a crystal opening provided with'a ledge therearound to form a seat or bearing for the inner edge of the crystal by which it is firmly held against the outer bezel.

My invention also consists in the construction, combination, location and arrangement of parts, and in the novel features, as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 is a perspective view of the watch case embodying the invention, partly cut away to show the assembled position of the two part bezel relative to the other parts of the watch case;

the conventional 1926. Serial No. 112,970.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same shown half in elevation and half in central vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outer or main part of the two-piece watch case bezel, partlycut away at one end to show a section therethroughc;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the watch case crystal partlyvcut away to show a section; and

Fig.5 is a similar view to Fig. 3, showingthe inner or auxiliary part'of the twopiece watch case bezel.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated, and which shows apreferred construction, I provide a watch case 1 upon which my novel bezel is mounted. Said bezel is composed oftwo parts which will be inward bevel or undercut 5 to receive from the inner side, crystal 6 having outward bevel'7. Said inward bevel 5 bears against the central part of said outward bevel 7, and prevents the crystal from passing outwardly through said crystal opening. Said auxiliary bezel 3 is, composed of'a resilient or yielding metal frame Shaving a crystal opening 9 of smaller area than crystal opening a in main bezel 2 and is preferably provided with ledge 10 around the lower edge of said crystal opening 9 to form a seat for the edge 6 of crystal 6. Said frame 8 is disposed at an angle relative to said opening 9 and is provided with a skirt or flange 11 which extends downwardly or inwardly therefrom to form a friction bearing against theinner vertical wall or skirt 12 of main bezel 2. Said frame 8 is slightly spaced apart over the inner portion of its surface adjacent the crystal rim 18 of said outer bezel to permit it to have an outwardly yielding action against the projecting edge 6 of crystal 6 which bears against ledge .10 of auxiliary bezel 3 wherebysaid crystal is adapted to be firmly held between said bezels regardless of slight variations in the size and shape'of the crystal thereby insuring a snug and close dust-proof fit be tween the parts. The crystal 6 is ground in manner, except that the ill) bevel or angle 7 on the edge of said crystal is preferably more acute than on the ordinary crystal. i

.In assembling crystal 6, auxiliary bezel 3 and main .bezel. 2, said main bezel is held with its inner side 14 up and the crystal 6 -jecting edge 6" of crystal 6 extending 1nfrom the outside, a

wardly beyond main bezel 2, as shown in Fig 2. The auxiliary bezel 3 is then inserted or telescoped within main bezel 2 and pushed down until seat or ledge 10 bears against edge 6 of crystal 6 and is temporarily held in place by the friction between said auxiliary bezel 3 and main bezel 2. hen crystal 6 is thus held between main bezel 2 and auxiliary bezel 3'this unit is assembled or mounted over submerged watch case center 15 within back 16 and main bezel 2, the skirt or flange ll of the auxiliary bezel having been so formed that it will rest on top of inturned flange or snap 17 of-said center, as clearly shown in Figs. '1' and 2, thus pushing auxiliary bezel 3 against crystal- 6 and crystal 6, in turn, against main bezel 2. With this method of assembling the crystal and the bezel,- the angle on the crystal can be made so acute and extended in the bearing between the main bezel and the crystal that it will be impossible for the crystal to fall out'or be removed from'the outer side of the bezel,' asfrequently happens with the ordinary type of watch case bezel and, ofcOurse, the crystal is securely held in position by the auxiliary bezel from within, so that it is impossible to unintentionally or accidentally remove the crystal outwardly through the main bezel without breaking it. i V

In the present type of watch case bezels in which the crystals are snappedinto the bezel large percentage of the crystals are damaged and rendered useless by the chipping of the edge when being inserted. This nuisance is entirely overcome bv my invention. Also, in the ordinary type of watch case bezel, the lens or crystal must be very exact as to size before it will properly'fit, whereas with my invention'it has been found in practice that the crystals may vary acrosstheir diameter .008 plus or minus from a g ven standard and stlll have a good fit that is more nearly dustproof than in the ordinary type of bezel.

The advantages of my construction are ease and convenience of assembling the crystal in the bezel, a. springy cushion formed by the auxiliary bezel that minimizes breaking the crystals, elimination of the necessity of exact sizes in crystals, particularly in oddshaped crystals, a close fit betwen the crystal and the bezel, thus more effectively excluding dirt and, also, the absolute elimination of the, loss of a crystal without destroying it by breakage. V I

It is noted that heretofore bezels have been'inade' in two parts in which the inner portion of the bezel was held in place by be nding'lugs on the inner rim of the outer bezel over the inner bezel. This construction results in the breaking of crystals when bending the'lugs in position, and, when crystals are accidentally broken, these lugs must be bent back and forth so that the crystal can be removed and a new crystal inserted. This is more or less troublesome and impractical without special tools and after a few crystals are broken, these little lugs, due to repeated bending, break off. No suchcondition can arise by the use of my invention.

, In my construction the auxiliary bezel is held in place by seating it upon the submerged watch case center so that when the bezel is removed from the back and center mounted therein, it is only necessary to push down on the crystal or the broken portion thereof that remains in order to remove the auxiliary bezel and insert a new crystal with the utmost ease and convenience. v

' My invention is capable of some modification without departure from' the scope or spirit thereof, as defined in the claims,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

- 1. In a watch case, the combination on an outer bezel having a crystal opening therein surrounded by a wall adapted to engage'a crystal from the outer side, a crystal adapted to be inserted from the inner side and bear against said wall, an inner bezel having a crystal opening surroundedby :a wall along adjacent surfaces, anda watch case centermounted'within the back and adapted to bear against and support said inner bezel whereby the parts are detachably held in assembled position.

2. In a watch case, outer bezel comprising a crystal rim having an inner crystal bearing edge and having a skirt or flange formed at an angle to said rim, a crystal adapted to be inserted on 'the inner side of said bezel and engage said crystalbearing edge, and an inner or auxiliary bezel comprising a frame of resilient metal having. a crystal bearing edge adapted to engage the inner side of said crystal and having an inwardly extending .s'kirtadapted to telescope within the skirt of said main bezel and be frictionally held therein and a back having a watch case center mounted therein and adapted to bear against said skirts, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

8. In a watch case, the combination of an outer bezel comprising a skirt and a rim extending upwardly and inwardly theret'roin to form a crystal opening and having a crystal seat or bearing on the inner side of said rim, an auxiliary bezel comprising a skirt having a crystal frame beveled or extending upwardly and inwardly therefrom and having a crystal seat or bearing on its upper or outer side surrounding said opening, a crystal detachably mounted between said main and auxiliary bezels and held therein by trictional engagement of said bezels and a watch case center suitably mounted and adapted to bear against the skirt of said auxiliary bezel whereby said crystal is firmly held between said bezels.

at. In a watch case, a main bezel comprising a rim having an inner crystal bearing and having a skirt extending at an angle to said rim,a crystal adapted to engage said crystal hearing from the inner side and having an edge projecting inwardly beyond said crystal bearing. an inner bezel comprising a crystal frame having a crystal bearing and having a skirt extending at an angle thereto and adapted to telescope within and frictionally engage the skirt of said main bezel and a back carrying means adapted to engage said inner bezel and force it into resilient engagement, with said crystal whereby said parts are readily dctachably assembled.

5. Ina watch case, an outer or main bezel having a crystal opening therein surrounded by an inwardly beveled wall, a crystal having a beveled edge adapted to bear against said inwardly beveled wall, an auxiliary bezel of yielding metal having a crystal opening therein of smaller area than the crystal opening in said main bezel and adapted to bear against the edge of said crystal and a submerged watch case center bearing against said auxiliary bezel when the back and bezel are assembled.

6. In a watch case, an outer or main bezel having a crystal opening therein and having its wall surrounding said opening beveled or undercut to form a seat or hearing, a crystal ,having its edge beveled on its outer side, an

auxiliary bezel having a crystal opening therein with a bearing surface around the edge of said opening adapted to bear against the inner edge of said crystal when inserted between said bezels. a watch. case center, and a skirton said auxiliary bezel adapted to engage said watch case center to hold said parts firmly in assembled position.

ARTHUR W. VVADSWOR'IH. 

